Monday, April 7, 2014

F: A to Z Blogging Challenge

Welcome to another day in the A to Z BloggingChallenge. Find the entire list here. My theme this year is world-building.
Mostly I’m asking questions that I believe need to be considered whether you
creating a medieval fantasy world, a science fiction story or even a
contemporary novel. The ideas I present aren’t in a particular order as I had
to fit them into the alphabetical order needed. And don’t forget to visit the
other blog I’m part of during the A to Z Challenge over at the IWSG. Now onto
your world.

What are your people eating? Food! Do they grow their own? If a medieval world, how do they preserve it? Is there enough to go around? In medieval societies, few things were more important than food. Most hours of the day revolved around getting enough food. Winters were difficult. How do they cook their food? Open fire? Cast iron stove? Zap it in some kind of futuristic re-hydrator? What utensils did they eat with? Any special manners or rituals involved with eating? Are your characters vegetarians?

If you've invented a world you might also invent your own flora and fauna. Do your people ride horses or dragons? I have fun creating new creatures for my Recon Marine books and my fantasy series. Sometimes its easier to make everything the same as the real world, but even a few little twisted plant-life or animal form can raise your story to the 'unique' realm. The possibilities are near the endless but you have take care that the wonderful things you invent don't distract from the story.

Have you ever invented a plant or animal for a story? Do you have fun with the food in your stories or is it part of the background? Do you know how to cook over an open fire?

My characters eat. I admit I don't go on and on about food. Some people can write about this sort of thing and keep it uber-interesting. Me... not so much.

Did you watch the show 24 when it was on? Did you ever notice that in that 24 hour period Kiefter Sutherland's character, Jack Bauer, never once ate anything or used the toilet? I can understand not eating... saving the world is tough business. But doesn't everyone have to pee eventually????

You know, the more I learn, the more astonished I am by the strange plants we have in this world. I think taking the truth and throwing some of those unique plants into a fantasy world would be amazing.

I think creating new flora and fauna adds to the fun of discovering a new setting inside the story. I once invented a scientific formula in a political thriller I wrote to drive the hunt for a scientist. Based on truth in part, of course.